Dealership Necessary For New Timing Belt ?

Hello,

Have a V6 2005 Accord with 110K on it.

So, I guess will need a new Timing Belt and Plugs.

Is this something that should really be done at a Dealership, or can
most any "competent" garage handle it ?

Must the Plugs be those very expensive Pt tipped ones ?

Thanks,
B.

 

A competent garage can handle this. The trick is in finding a competent
garage.

Actually, you should be focusing on a competent individual. It doesn't
matter where he works; if he's the best at it, make sure he does it.

On the other hand, a competent garage may have an idiot working for
them, and botch up the job.

Find the individual. Mine happens to work for a dealership, so I let
them broker the deal--as long as I get that guy. If he moves on and is
still available to do the work, I'll let him continue to do it--even if
it's in his own garage.

 

A dealership will do the work with Honda parts. A "garage" will use
aftermarket parts.

The Honda dealership will replace a lot more than just the "timing belt"
when they "replace the timing belt". What the "garage" replaces will
vary from place to place.

You can use whatever plugs you want. It's just a question of how often
you want to replace them. It probably only takes one additional plug
change to exceed the cost of the platinum plugs.

 

Nope.

A "garage" will use the parts it wants, unless you specify factory parts.

A GOOD independent will give you all the packaging from the factory
parts, and/or allow you to bring your own parts if it comes to that.

 

The Honda dealership will replace a lot more than the timing belt,
including the contents of your wallet--just like any service shop will
do if you're not careful.

Remember, the dealerships are independent garages, just like any other
garage. They're not Honda.

And they will use aftermarket parts if they want to. They are
independents in business to maximize their profit, just like anyone else.

 

Heh,if the garage was truly competent,they would not have an idiot working
for them....


--
Jim Yanik
jyanik
at
localnet
dot com

 

I had a bad ball joint on my 03 Nissan SE-R SpecV and went to two
garages,one independent,the other a Firestone dealership. Both quoted
replacement of the entire lower control arm (factory recommended)at a cost
of $400,and neither would replace just the worn ball joint. I bought a
replacement ball joint for $15,and spent 2.5 hours under my car replacing
it. It would have taken much less time,but I don't have the means to raise
my car high enough to get the ball joint press(borrowed free from Advance
Auto Parts,who sold me the ball joint) into position. Murphey's Law...
Instead,I had to crack a large nut,remove the control arm,and then remove
and replace the ball joint off the car,then reinstall the control arm with
a new nut.
If one of those garages had taken the job as I wanted it done,it would have
taken only half an hour,and made them money,and a happy customer.

The independent was my former "good garage".

--
Jim Yanik
jyanik
at
localnet
dot com

 

Hard to believe a repair shop letting you bring your own parts for them
to install any more than a restaurant would let you bring your own food
for them to cook....

 

Heh,if the garage was truly competent,they would not have an idiot working
for them.... [/QUOTE]

well, you'd think.

My dealership has an idiot working for them--and they know it and
tolerate it. He's not only an idiot, he's a malicious ripoff artist.

So, that's why I say it comes down to the individual, no matter where he
works.

 

Hard to believe a repair shop letting you bring your own parts for them
to install any more than a restaurant would let you bring your own food
for them to cook....[/QUOTE]

I've got an indy up the street from me who does that, no problems.

 

Same here. I buy my Honda brake pads from HandA and my local guy
installs them. No upcharge that I can detect. Last time, turned out
that I needed rotors as well and he asked if I wanted to sideline the
Odyssey until I could get them in or if I wanted him to buy locally from
NAPA or whomever. Opted for the latter due to time, price and shipping
costs. Turned out the NAPA rotors, with tax, were cheaper even if the
shipping from HandA had been free.

If you have a good garage, they will not NOT balk at using factory OEM
parts and a good garage is not going to screw with you by jacking up the
price on the parts beyond whatever discount they may receive from NAPA, etc.

If they won't do it, you're dealing with the wrong garage.

 

how many more times and in how many other ways are you going to ask this
retarded question? just get the freakin' belt done. if you can't or
don't want to afford it, sell the car and take the bus.

 

I've got an indy up the street from me who does that, no problems.
[/QUOTE]

Ditto. they still make money off the labor.

--
Jim Yanik
jyanik
at
localnet
dot com